1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electronic warfare systems and more particularly, to transmitters for electronic warfare applications.
2. Brief Description of Related Art
The transmitter has been a critical subsystem in all electronic warfare (EW) systems. Currently, only traveling wave tube amplifier (TWTA) technology can provide the combination of frequency bandwidth and radio frequency (RF) power to address many electronic warfare (EW) system transmitter requirements. These tube-base amplifiers require high-voltage power supplies, are physically large, have long warm-up times, have a diminishing number of suppliers, and have reliability concerns.
The component in the transmitter affecting SWaP is the power amplifier, which generates high levels of RF power greater than 9:1 bandwidths in a small volume. Current EW transmitter amplifiers utilize travelling-wave-tube-amplifier (TWTA) technology to generate RF power. However, the tube-based amplifiers have some limitations which impact their ability to address reduced SWaP in the next-generation transmitters. These limitations include: limited frequency coverage to nominal 5:1 bandwidths, the requirement for a very high voltage (KV) power supply, long warm-up times, limited storage life, limited lifetime of reliable operation, and a vanishing number of TWTA suppliers.
A need, therefore, exists for an improved transmitter for use in electronic warfare applications.